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This weekend marks the 34th annual Maine Maple Sunday

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Bruce Tracy, at right, and his brother Pete Tracy at Maple Hill Farm in Farmington on the 30th Maine Maple Sunday. (Photo by Bobbie Hanstein)

The sapping season officially kicked off on March 8 with the annual tradition of tapping a maple tree on the lawn of the Blaine House. Gov. Paul LePage did the honors, with a small crowd of syrup producers and their families watching.

The governor reported that since 2010 Maine’s maple syrup production has more than doubled, bringing in 675,000 gallons throughout last year’s season. Maine has the third largest syrup industry in the country, falling behind Vermont and New York and brings in an estimated $48.7 million to the state’s economy.

Producers across the state will be opening their sugar houses this weekend to celebrate the 34th annual Maine Maple Sunday. Many offer tours and demonstrations of the syrup-making process and, of course, sweet samples of the sugary results.

For more information go to http://mainemapleproducers.com/

Here are some of the Franklin County sap houses that are participating:

Bowley Brook Maple
91 Masterman Rd
Weld, Maine 04285
578-0411
Tour of sap lines and sap house. Demonstrations on syrup making. Free samples of maple goodes. Sugarbush tours, restrooms, handicapped accessible, bus and school tours Hours: March 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Day Mountain Maple
399 Farmington Rd
Strong, Maine 04983
778-2716
Watch as we make pure Maine maple syrup using a 4×10 wood fired evaporator without steam hoods. Tours of the sugarbush on a tractor drawn sled. Samples of maple products and refreshments. Find us on Rte 4, 2 miles south of strong, 7/10 mile north of Tyler’s Body Shop. Watch for signs. Sugarbush tours, restrooms. Hours: March 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Jackson Mountain Farm
Orchard Hill Road
Temple, Maine 04984
846-4570
Syrup to taste. Maple goodies. Hot coffee and hot chocolate. Sugarbush tours and school tours. Hours: March 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Maple Hill
390 Titcomb Hill Road
Farmington, Maine 04938
778-4506
The sap house will be open to the public from 10 am to 3pm weather permitting. Come join us as we celebrate the season with sap boiling demonstrations, free maple samples, and an array of maple goodies to sample and/or purchase in addition to jugs of Pure Maple Syrup.

Maple Valley Farm Inc
1304 Franklin Rd
Jay, Maine 04239
645- 2328 or 9549
Maple Syrup, Taffy and Candy for sale. Complimentary Ice Cream w/syrup, coffee, maple coated peanuts and maple taffy on snow. Farm tours, restrooms, handicapped accessible, bus and school tours. March 26

Mystic Valley Maples
770 US RT 2- West
Wilton, Maine 04294
645-4481
Small wood fired operation with great access on RT2. Handicapped accessible, bus tours, school tours March 25-26 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. tours

Plaisted Farm Maple Products
132 Borough Rd
Jay, Maine 04239
758-0713
Boiling demonstrations, free samples ice cream, coffee, and hot chocolate. Syrup and candy sales. Sugarbush tours, Handicapped accessible, Bus and school tours. Hours: March 26, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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